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Re: swarm trap with french cleat hanging bracket.

Steve, NICE TEST !!!!! I really felt that ya'll were under estimating how strong that cleat was, I bet, had you glued it with Titebond III it would have hung there with the 100 lbs on it. I hung 5 10 frame boxes today they worked GREAT !!!!!

Re: swarm trap with french cleat hanging bracket.

Steve,

Thanks for sharing this video! i was concerned about the lip at the actual joint tearing away. i had planned on using 3" scres to secure to tree, so wasn't very worried there. You have quelled any fears i had about this style of mount.

Re: swarm trap with french cleat hanging bracket.

Originally Posted by stevedc

Dconrad, how did you attach the one on that tree at an angle like that?

Steve, I did like KPeacock said with 3" screws, it is pretty much hanging all on the cleat and relying on the board that is holding the cleat I know it is not the best practice but it was the best I could do and I wanted that trap right there it's about 400 yards from another fellas bee yard
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Re: swarm trap with french cleat hanging bracket.

Nice! I figured that the hardware would be the first thing to fail. I've checked my first ones that I've hung. If anything they feel more secure today then the day I hung them. Maybe some wood expansion or something. Pretty sure my hives a lighter than yours. After your video I can sleep at night!

Re: swarm trap with french cleat hanging bracket.

Steve, do you have a SBB on your swarm trap? You may want to cover that up with a piece of coraplast or luan or something.

I think the cleat is the way to go. Hung three more yesterday. With an electric impact driver it takes me less then 5 minutes total, and that includes looking for a decent plum spot on a tree. With a single cleat on my 5 frame nuc swarm traps I do tie it will some string as the boxes are pretty light. I just wrap it around the hive and tie it to the cleat. On my top bars with the double angled cleat I just drop them in place. No way the hive is going to pull two 1/4 x 4 inch bolts out of the trees (I hang them on hard wood trees, nothing soft).

This is probably way overkill, but I figure I should get a decent amount of re-use out of the cleats, so over time the cost is low.

Re: swarm trap with french cleat hanging bracket.

I don't think you would need to double. I'm amazed at how strong they are. The advantage of doubling would be you could get more screws holding the cleat to a back board, but as long as you have good wood for the cleat you should be good. I'm amazed at the strength of the angled cleat setup.

Re: swarm trap with french cleat hanging bracket.

I decided to alter my 2013 traps to use this hang method also. I made the bracket extend higher than the box, and glued/screwed a wood block onto it. I can then use a ratchet strap to attach to the tree and not need to screw/nail into the tree.